To see how things are going in Manama these days, one need only look at the fighting in Damascus. As the possibility that the US and allied forces will conduct a military strike against Syria grows, the deck of cards in Bahrain, the small Gulf archipelago mired in sectarian division, is getting reshuffled.

On Aug. 28, the Bahraini opposition resumed talks with government representatives after a two-month hiatus. But, remarkably, the local media focused on the discussions regarding the Syrian file. The Akhbar al-Khaleej newspaper, which is affiliated with the prime minister, ran a story headlined: “Regional Events Have Strongly Imposed Themselves in the Dialogue Hall.”

Abdullah al-Huwaihi, the secretary-general of the National Unity Gathering, which is close to the government and is participating in the dialogue, provocatively addressed the opposition parties, saying, “A correct understanding of the regional situation should push the dialogue to be more balanced,” as quoted in Akhbar al-Khaleej. Huwaihi was insinuating that the opposition should make concessions.

The opposition reacted negatively. Akhbar al-Khaleej reported that Hassan al-Aali, the secretary-general of the Nationalist Democratic Rally, replied, “Everyone is affected by the situation in the region. But we are calling for a Bahraini solution to our problems.”